It is known to manually split successive scenes of a motion-picture film or video tape into individual sequences in order to then compile, discard or store the individual sequences, if appropriate, in a different order. In this case, the beginning of an individual sequence is usually initiated by an individual start image or a plurality of start images, for example by the recording of a film clapperboard with the assignment noted thereon.
The image sequences may be contained on various recording media, such as motion-picture films, video tapes, or electronic storage media, such as CDs or the like. In many applications, recording is effected in parallel on a motion-picture film and an electronic storage medium, the electronically stored image sequence being reflected out of an optical beam path of a motion-picture camera and being converted by means of a video chip or a video camera into video signals which are stored on the electronic storage medium.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,530 discloses a method for separating image sequences stored on video tapes into individual sequences, in which sequence changes of a first type which are based on a change in the mean brightness of successive images which exceed or fall below a predetermined amount and also sequence changes of a second type which are based on a change in the image content of successive images are detected and separation markers for the automatic separation of the image sequences into individual sequences are set.
In numerous applications, automatic separation of, in particular, digitized films into individual sequences is desirable, without the need for manual separation or the recording of start images for introducing an individual sequence. In the medical field, in particular, such automatic separation of digitized films into individual sequences is desirable in order that, directly after recording of the image sequences, individual sequences are made available for diagnosis. In this case, what is crucially important is that first, no images are lost during the automatic separation, and that second, a high identification rate is achieved for resolving the image sequence into individual sequences.